Possibly the best sounding DACs on the planet for under 2K. It's a serious giant slayer. This is the perfect upgrade for your Port, Node, or computer. This little beauty takes your digital music from good to absolutely alive.
Condition
NEW
Factory Specs
Chipset: Chord Electronics custom coded Xilinx Artix 7 (XC7A15T) FPGA
Tap-length: 49,152
Pulse array: 10 element pulse array design
Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz +/- 0.2dB
Output stage: Class A
THD: <0.0001% 1kHz 3v RMS 300Ω
THD and noise at 3v RMS: 117dB at 1kHz 300ohms ‘A’ weighted (reference 2.5v)
Noise 2.6 uV ‘A’ weighted: No measurable noise floor modulation
Channel separation: 138dB at 1kHz 300Ω
Weight: 1.7 lbs
Dimensions: Height 1.8" Width 6.3" Depth 3.5"
Boxed Weight: 3.3 lbs
Liner Notes
The Qutest DAC is designed to improve system sound quality, instantly. It is the latest evolution of our most affordable ‘standalone’ DAC, in other words, one that does not contain a built-in headphone amplifier, like the Mojo 2 and Hugo 2.
The Qutest is What Hi-Fi?’s ‘Best DAC’ 2023 £1,000+ and a What Hi-Fi? ‘Best DAC’ winner every year since its inception (2018-2022). It is a proven class-leader and is based on our award-winning proprietary FPGA technology giving it unrivaled technical and sonic performance.
Perfectly equipped to bring the benefits our digital technology to a wide range of connected devices, it features a galvanically isolated USB-B, optical and coaxial digital input, giving an instant performance upgrade, plus the ability to modernise aging digital source components.
The Qutest chassis is all-new, too. It has significantly greater mass than its predecessor and has been precision-machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminium billet. The Qutest PCB nestles within a shallow cavity in the solid aluminium chassis, giving the circuit board greater protection within the casework and additional isolation from external vibration compared to previous designs.
Qutest offers Hugo 2’s proprietary user-selectable frequency-shaping filters and input selection controls, available via two fascia-mounted spheres, introducing useful flexibility. It also features RCA analogue outputs for connection to integrated amplifiers, preamps and headphone amps, plus high-resolution dual-data digital inputs for connection to future Chord Electronics products.
A further new feature is a user-selectable output voltage available in 1, 2 and 3V RMS outputs for flexible connectivity with a wide range of partnering devices.
The What Hi-Fi? ‘Best DAC’ 2023/24 - “Qutest is the definitive small audiophile DA convertor”
Packing
We'll deliver this piece in its original factory box, so you can be sure it will be protected just as Chord intended.
Shipping
This piece ships to the contiguous United States for a flat rate of $25, which includes our packaging and our insurance. Of course, we'll ship anywhere in the world, just drop us a line and we'll give you an estimate – even if you're just curious.
Stock No.
8699840528605
